1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an X-ray fluorescence spectrometric system of a type including a sample pre-treatment apparatus for retaining on a surface of a substrate a substance to be measured that is found on the surface of the substrate, after such substance has been dissolved and subsequently dried, an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer for measuring intensities of fluorescent X-rays emitted from the substance to be measured upon irradiation with primary X-rays, and a transport apparatus for transporting the substrate from the sample pre-treatment apparatus towards the X-ray fluorescence spectrometer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is known a system in which in order for a fluorescent X-ray analysis to be performed on a small quantity of contaminants deposited on a semiconductor substrate, the substrate is transported from a sample pre-treatment apparatus to an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer by means of a transport apparatus such as, for example, a manipulator or robotic arm. An example of such system is disclosed in, for example, the Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-077917 filed Mar. 19, 2001. In this prior art, a heating process in the sample pre-treatment apparatus is controlled by a control means.
However, the conventional system is not equipped with a control apparatus designed to control the sample pre-treatment apparatus, the X-ray fluorescence spectrometer and the transport apparatus in a totalized fashion and those apparatuses are individually controlled in different environments (software). Accordingly, the conventional system as a whole is incapable of being controlled easily.